Chance tossed the report on his desk. Bas was right. He didn’t like the thought of outsourcing as a means to stay ahead of the game. With the new importance being placed on countries like India and China, for the past year he’d seen huge restructuring taking place in a number of manufacturing and production companies.
As the corporation’s problem solver and troubleshooter, Bas kept them in the know. He was an expert at tackling the company’s complex problems. So far the Steele Corporation was not unionized because, during the twenty-five years of its existence, the employees had always been pleased with the fair treatment they’d received. Their salaries were more than competitive, and the Steele Corporation had a reputation of never having laid off an employee, even during some of the company’s rough times.
However, according to Bas, there was talk in the production area that the Steele Corporation would be outsourcing to a foreign country.
“I’m still not ready to go that route, Bas. Our employees are loyal and we owe them for all the hard work they do. Our people are the reason this company is successful, not the products we produce and deliver. What we’re going to have to do is to continue to focus on developing our employees and executing those manufacturing strategies that integrate people, processes and technologies to assure us tangible results. Until that stops happening, I refuse to entertain the thought of outsourcing to another country.”
Bas smiled. “I fully agree with you. So what do we do about those rumors that we’re headed that way the first of the year?”
“Before I leave for Dallas next week, how about setting up a meeting between me and the production department heads? I want to make sure they’re delivering the same message to our employees. There’s evidently a communication breakdown somewhere. And make sure you include Vanessa. She will be back in the office then,” Chance said of his cousin Vanessa Steele who headed the PR Department and was presently vacationing in Europe.
“All right. Consider it done.”
Chance studied his brother as Bas placed the items back into his briefcase. Bas was a hard worker—too dedicated at times since he lived, ate and breathed the Steele Corporation. That would make one wonder when he had time for a social life, which he evidently had since he was engaged to be married. “Seems to me that you need to chill more than I do, Bas.”
Bas glanced up and his lips curved into a lethal half smile. “I beg to differ, Chance. You’re the one who’s tackling woman troubles. I’m not.”
“It’s hard to believe Cassandra is that understanding.”
Bas shrugged. “Frankly, she’s not but she knows how far to take her complaints.”
A frown pulled at Chance’s lips. Not for the first time he wondered what had possessed his brother to become engaged to Cassandra Tisdale, a staunch member of Charlotte’s elite social group. Cassandra and Bas were as different as day and night. The woman was so incredibly self-absorbed, it boggled Chance’s mind that Bas had even given her the time of day, let alone become engaged to her. She had a tendency to think she was the most important thing that existed in this universe. And while she was shining and polished, it was known that Bas was more than a little rough around the edges and had a few tarnished spots on his reputation from a few years back. But Cassandra was determined to do something nobody had ever been able to do—make Sebastian Steele sparkle.
Chance and his two brothers wondered how in the hell she planned to accomplish such a feat. If nothing else, they would give her an A for trying. They knew, even if she didn’t, that it would be a wasted effort. The woman who would eventually capture Bas’s heart would be the one who accepted him as he was, and not try to make him into something that he wasn’t.
“Dinner is at six tonight, if anyone is interested,” Chance decided to say, since his brothers had a tendency to drop by for a meal unannounced.
Bas chuckled. “I’ll pass the word on to Morgan and Donovan.”
“What about you?”
“I’m invited to dinner at the Tisdales’. My guess is that Cassandra’s mother will try to get me to finally commit to a June wedding.”